The Flip of a Coin
by MightyMorphingPomegranate
Summary: In the space of a heartbeat, Booth has to decide between Brennan and Hannah. Just a lighthearted little oneshot. Rated T for slight language.


**Just a fun little somethin'-somethin' that's been cooking in my brain for awhile. This is a scene I would have liked to include in "Sneaking Seeley's Cell Phone", but the fic went in a different direction. (I'm still working on continuing that one, by the way.)**

... ... ... ... ...

Okay, so maybe he was a little on edge. He was strolling down the street with Hannah on his right and Brennan on his left. It was the first time the three of them had spent time together since Brennan's feelings for him had come to light. Any _normal_ women would have just dropped the charade and let their friendship dissolve, but _no_. Not Brennan and Hannah. Awkwardly, the women were _still_ trying to be friends. He chuckled wryly. Now, he was not only partnered with the _most stubborn_ woman in the entire world- the gold medalist, in fact- but he was dating her runner up, as well. Leave it to Booth to find the two most obstinate companions on the planet. They would pretend to be _best friends forever_ until they drove him mad. In Booth's eyes, the situation fell somewhere on the sliding scale between uncomfortable and _it'll-be-the-death-of-me_ unbearable.

But how could he argue with the two headstrong beauties in his life when they pulled him out of his office for lunch at the diner? So here they were, walking down the street, Booth acting as a buffer for the poorly concealed tension between them. The conversation was forcibly cheerful. See, Booth knew Brennan and Hannah better than the women knew each other. Sure, they probably thought that they were giving convincing performances, smiling and agreeing with one another far too much, but he saw right through their fake laughs. He was holding back a grimace as he listened to them discuss the weather. This was going to be a _long_ lunch.

Really, he had every reason to be a little agitated. Wouldn't you be, too? So when he saw the glint of metal arcing through the air, can you really blame him for his gut reaction? Especially on the heels of a seven-month stint in a dusty, bloody war zone, can anyone truly fault him? Can anyone judge him for reverting back to his truest form: Seeley Booth the lion heart, protector of the ones he loves? It was hard wired into his DNA, for God's sake.

When he yelled, "GRENADE!", he didn't pause to think. Booth trusted his gut, his _instincts_ , and lunged to protect the woman he loved more than any other woman on the face of the earth, more than life itself. The woman who, if he was honest with himself, he believed God had assigned to him to protect. It was his life's mission to keep her from harm.

Even as he tackled her to the ground and squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the explosion, he could tell that something was wrong. The sound of the bomb as it hit the pavement was too... tinny. It bounced and rattled, far too light for any grenade Booth had ever held. He opened his eyes cautiously to see Brennan's wide blue eyes staring up at him in shock.

"Booth," she breathed earnestly, "It was just a can. A soda can. Someone threw it out of their car window." He blinked rapidly, every sense in his body dialed up a million percent by the shot of adrenaline pumping through his veins. He was suddenly acutely aware of the warmth of Brennan's body beneath his own, of the pink flush that was creeping up on her neck and face, and of his girlfriend's icy stare on the back of his head. Booth cleared his throat and rolled off of his mortified partner, standing to his feet and extending a hand to help Brennan do the same. They cautiously turned to face Hannah, whose jaw was hanging open in disgusted disbelief.

"Wow." It was all she could say. She shook her head, laughing humorlessly at the uncomfortable pair.

Brennan tried to save the situation. "Hannah, if it were truly a grenade, I would have been closer to the explosion, and therefore in greater danger. Booth obviously assessed the situation quickly and acted in the most rational manner." But she was as red as a rutabaga, and all of the compartmentalization in the world couldn't help her meet Hannah's eyes.

Booth couldn't say anything. He was shocked by the blind confidence with which he had moved to protect Brennan. He thought of some advice that Pops had given him once: _"When you have to make a hard decision, just flip a coin. When that coin is in the air, you'll know what you're hoping for."_

Well, folks, that coin had _flipped_. Booth had spent months agonizing over this internal war waging in his heart. He loved Hannah, but he still loved Brennan. What do you do in a situation like that? _Flip a coin._ In that split second, he just knew, as clear as the day. His heart belonged to Temperance Brennan. Always had, always will.

"Well, I guess you made your choice," Hannah spat. She backed away, calling, "It was nice knowing you, Seeley. Screw you, Temperance. I hope you're _happy_ together." And with that, Hannah Burley walked out of his life for good.

Booth turned to look at Brennan, his mouth gaping like a gold fish. He couldn't help the awkward grin that spread across his face. He shrugged. Seeing that he wasn't upset, she smiled shyly at him. "Thanks for saving my life, Agent Booth," Brennan muttered teasingly.

"Anytime, Bones. Anytime..."

He offered his arm to her, and the pair walked off towards the Royal Diner, laughing at the ridiculous turn of events. As they strolled into the distance, Booth took a quarter from his pocket and flipped it into the air above his hand. He caught it, and Brennan smiled up at him, her eyes sparkling with affection.

So, can you really blame him for the lightness in his step as they rounded the corner? Can anyone fault him for the way he smiled at her, or for the quick kiss he placed on her head as she leaned it against his shoulder?

Some things are just meant to be, you know? Booth would call it fate. Brennan would call that ludicrous.

But I'll leave it up to you to decide.

... ... ... ... ...

 **If only getting rid of Hannah were that simple... Sigh.**

 **I would LOVE it if you took the time to review! Thanks for reading my silly little fic.**


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